Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull become first couple to top AFR Magazine’s Power lists

6 Oct 2017, 12:30 a.m.

The Prime Minister and his wife are the first couple to top the Australian Financial Review's power lists.

Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull top the Australian Financial Review Magazine’s 2017 Overt and Covert Lists of Australia’s most powerful people.

The couple’s dual reign marks the first time in the 17-year history of the Power issue that a prime minister and his wife have simultaneously ranked #1 on the Overt and Covert Power lists.

The AFR Magazine’s 2017 Overt and Covert Power lists were decided by an independent panel of political, media and business experts.

Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull. Photos: James Brickwood

Panellists included former Liberal Party federal director and coalition campaign director, Brian Loughnane, former Liberal immigration minister, Amanda Vanstone, Vice-chancellor and president of James Cook University, Sandra Harding, and former director general of security for ASIO, Dennis Richardson, among others.

For the purposes of constructing the Power Lists, ‘overt power’ is deﬁned as power that largely comes as a consequence of a person’s position or standing.

Covert power’ is deﬁned as individuals or institutions that have indirect power, bringing about change by using their ability to inﬂuence the people with overt power.

The list is out today in AFR Magazine’s annual Power issue and online at www.afr.com.